Getting Prepared, A Philosophical Perspective, by ShepherdFarmerGeek- Part 2

Yesterday, in Part 1, I talked about making choices, being informed, and how to deal with the “best case”. Now, let’s look at the worst case.

Worst Case

So there’s the best case– a wholesale economic collapse, which has, actually, already begun. On the other hand, I think the worst case scenario would be some combination of:

World economic collapse driven by people who want to cripple the United States so its Constitution and sovereignty can be overthrown, PLUS
A human-engineered, actually-deadly viral pandemic and mandatory mass vaccination with actually-dangerous ingredients (thimerosol preservative and squalene adjuvant come to mind), resulting in (and even possibly with the malicious intention of) sickening people who will then be more dependent on pharmaceuticals, as well as significantly reducing the population of the U.S. and the world, PLUS
Global political movements to give greater power to the various family dynasties and conspiratorial groups in preparation for a one-world government ruled by the Antichrist, PLUS
A worldwide food crisis driven by a combination of droughts, weather changes, new plant and animal diseases, human incompetence, and greed (including the indiscriminate use of dangerous, genetically-modified plants and animals), PLUS
Natural disasters (i.e., massive earthquakes) and terrorist disasters (nuclear attack on a half-dozen cities) as prophesied by reputable Christian leaders for years, leading to anarchy and further social breakdown, PLUS
Invasion by foreign troops from China and Russia (possibly including United Nations forces), with other allies, under the guise of “humanitarian disaster support” BUT with the result that large areas of the country are essentially under foreign influence and control; (This is a real possibility, and arguments to the contrary are simply unconvincing), PLUS
A large backlash (already well underway in liberal circles) against Christians, set up as scapegoats for many of our country’s social and foreign problems, to the point of marginalization and outright persecution, PLUS
A national push to disarm all private citizens of all but essential work-related firearms (ranchers and farmers), resulting in many acts of civil disobedience and a government unafraid of citizen resistance (a la Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot, et cetera), enforced with advanced weapons that most citizens have no idea even exist.

Personally, I believe that every one of these scenarios is possible, and several of them are likely! The good news is that preparing for the best-case scenario (economic collapse) would go a long way toward being prepared for most of these other scenarios, too! In this list, I didn’t even include the massive danger of an EMP attack, Peak Oil (or oil supply shenanigans like we’re seeing now!), Muslim terrorists (overseas and tens of thousands of jihadis already in the U.S. with more to come), or 1,700 years of growing Biblical apostasy, which began around AD 300, coming to a climax in widespread submission to the Antichrist.

Whew! Who knows, really knows, what your future holds? Only God. God knows; He will not be taken by surprise. He has anticipated EVERYTHING. He has a plan. He will not fail.

Sadly, many Christians in the United States have been lied to and taught false doctrine by well-meaning pastors and teachers who would have us believe nothing “truly bad” can happen in our country or to godly Christians. The prosperity doctrine (and Dominion Theology), the pre-Trib Rapture, and the overemphasis on the “power of prayer” have misled many into making zero preparations. The church in the United States is flat-out ignorant of church history and unprepared for the difficult times ahead. It is a tragedy.

Much is at stake. It’s TIME to be serious and focused…now.

What About The Value Of Suffering?

“Cowardice asks the question, ‘Is it safe?’. Expediency asks the question, ‘Is it politic?’. Vanity asks the question, ‘Is it popular?’ But, Conscience asks the question, ‘Is it right?’. And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but one must take it because one’s conscience tells one that it is right.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

“There is no safety for honest men but by believing all possible evil of evil men.” – Edmund Burke, Reflections on the Revolution in France, 1790

“If God sends us on stony paths, he provides strong shoes.” – Corrie ten Boom

If you’re convinced that God uses suffering and we therefore shouldn’t avoid suffering, then why do you drive with your seatbelt on? Or eat a balanced diet? Or pay for insurance on your home? If suffering is so “useful”, then why don’t we just become monks and nuns and deny our human impulses, flagellate ourselves daily, and sleep in wooden coffins, like some ascetics have? Why not have some good old-fashioned homemade suffering?

Okay, that’s an extreme, but sincere Christians have chosen that very path over the centuries! I prefer to believe that if God brings inescapable suffering, then we should bear it as a follower of Jesus would. However, for all that the Bible has to say about the inevitability of death and persecution for following Jesus (if I give you all the Bible verses regarding this isn’t going to be a letter, it’s going to be a book!), it is also true that:

Death is still an enemy to be avoided, if avoiding death can be done without disobeying or dishonoring Jesus. Follow Jesus, and if doing so gets you killed, so be it.
Jesus made it clear, and Paul gives an example, however, that persecuted Christians may flee.
The Bible requires that God’s people seek, value, and practice wisdom, and wisdom is specifically DEFINED as foreseeing trouble and avoiding it. (Proverbs 22:3)
God is not honored by our untimely, avoidable deaths. There is nothing “good” about dying pointlessly.
God requires us to defend the innocent and even our innocent selves.

Urgency Or Fearfulness?

Please don’t judge another’s preparations; the perception of risk varies from person to person based on upbringing, education, experience, personal maturity, family situation, and Christian maturity. They may know something you don’t. They may have had a terrible experience in the past with something and that experience is coloring their perceptions and motivations. The fact is that we’re ALL broken, ignorant, needy, wounded, vulnerable, and fallen to one degree or another. Your preparations aren’t perfect either.

“To disobey what I think God is telling me is to disobey God. There is nothing more a man can do at any given moment than say yes to God as he hears Him. It is God Himself who gently steers our boats, and corrects their course, but only as we’re moving toward Him. … The question is this: when push comes to shove, do I go with Christian peer pressure or with God’s Word as I see it?” – Andrée Seu

We must cut other Christians some slack! They aren’t responsible to us but to God. What’s appropriate? What’s not? All we can do is love them, share with them, pray for them, encourage them, and trust them to God. Some will make modest preparations; others may go whole-hog. Who are you to say God hasn’t told them what to do or can’t use their “extra” preparedness to help those too foolish to make any?

But, how do we know if a Christian is being consumed by fear while making preparations for this crisis? What are some indicators?

Neglecting basic preparations (food, water, shelter, medicines) while overemphasizing others,
Evidence of worry and obsession, lack of balance, anger, and agitation,
Unable to clearly and calmly document or explain their concerns,
Freezing up and doing nothing or little, paralyzed with indecision,
Unable to worship or rest, drifting from God, or
Unable to carry on and enjoy at least some of the basic activities of life.

For example, if we were living in pre-World War II Poland and German troops were massing on the border just 50 miles from our town, we would be working hard to be prepared for defense or escape! It would be urgent, and it would pretty much be the focus of our day, even as we went about doing the essential things of family and job. I believe we are at that point in the U.S. now.

Does that mean we’re “fearful”? No, of course not!

We might be fearful, but we might just be focused on a pressing problem that must be addressed immediately. There’s nothing wrong with working quickly! Watch a paramedic at the next traffic accident you drive by and you’ll appreciate that.

There is a problem if we’re worrying, fearing, and failing to trust God with the whole situation and to guide us. Stop occasionally and reflect about how you’re going about your preparations. Is it urgency or is it fearfulness that motivates you?

Where Do We Start?

Fortunately, the book of Proverbs clearly spells out what we should do:

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” – Prov. 3:5-6

“A prudent person (“wise person”) foresees the danger ahead and takes precautions; the simpleton (“fool”) goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.” – Proverbs 22:3

Wisdom is DEFINED as foreseeing trouble and avoiding it. That is wisdom! Even if God does use suffering and persecution to refine and teach his children, we still should avoid it when we can!

However, if you see trouble on the horizon and you don’t do anything appropriate to avoid it, then according to the Bible you’re a fool. (I didn’t say that! God did!)

By very definition, the “fool” does nothing or only makes some feeble response doomed to inadequacy. The foolish person is “blind”: self-deceived, uninformed, willfully ignorant of the critical issues of the day, too lazy to study, too arrogant to think anything bad could happen to them, Biblically ignorant, and so forth.

On the other hand, the wise person “foresees the danger…” How do they do that? By understanding human nature, by staying informed of national and local news, by researching and investigating when more information is needed, by seeking the counsel of wiser and more mature Christians, and certainly by asking God in prayer for more wisdom and insight.

The Bible also makes it clear that failing to provide for our families (food, water, shelter, security, spiritual leadership, emotional health, physical health, and so on) is morally wrong:

“Now if anyone is not providing for his own, and especially his family, he has disowned the faith, and is worse than an unbeliever.” – I Timothy 5:8

Working on getting prepared is wise, and it is good. It minimizes fear, focuses your mind, and gives you a sense of satisfaction, even joy in doing what needs to be done and moving forward to meet the future. Your preparations, by themselves, will not guarantee your protection, but your wise preparations, with the presence and guidance of God, will be enough.

You are in His hands. You do your part; He will do his.

So, I Believe People Ought To:

“Great danger lies in the notion that we can reason with evil.” – Doug Patton

“I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend.” – J.R.R. Tolkien

Store food; what we may disagree about is how much,
Learn to grow your own food in a garden. You can’t store “enough” food; it’s as simple as that,
Store drinking water (enough for at least a month is my recommendation, if you have to stay in your home during a pandemic flu quarantine), and probably some emergency water for gardens and trees; also know how to purify water you find in lakes and rivers,
Collect a supply of over-the-counter and prescription medications. Could you self-quarantine at home for a month without going to the store?
Have a plan to flee (and find or make your own shelter) if there is danger in your neighborhood or community,
Be able to heat and cook without electricity,
Be sure you have adequate clothing and equipment for a hard winter (unless, I suppose, you live in Tahiti),
Own a firearm and ammunition. I’m not saying you need multiple military-grade firearms and tens of thousands of rounds of ammunition! You might need to hunt, shoot varmints, or defend yourself. The Biblical case for self-defense is VERY strong. Things could get hairy,
You should also study about what the Bible says on “civil disobedience” and our relationship to the government. I am pro-government, but a rogue government is a danger to all. The quote attributed to Mark Twain says it well: “Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.”

Get started today to seek God earnestly, to provide for your family wisely, and to have compassion on your neighbors who only know what the (lying) evening news and the newspaper tells them to believe. They’re going to need your help. (https://survivalblog.com/save-them-by-shepherdfarmergee/ )

Read the Bible with “fresh eyes” and learn how to meet as a church like the FIRST churches did. The way most churches are “doing church” is about to change, radically.

Don’t resort to hate. Don’t give in to fear. Put God first. Be a light in the darkness; you may be the only one where you are. Don’t lose hope. Never stop trusting God. We’re going to get through this WITH Him. You are in His hands.

The history of our fallen and rebellious planet must now play itself out. Regardless of all our technology, civilization, and advancements, we’re still humans deeply in need of a Savior, and that has never been clearer than right now. No matter how dark the day, however, never forget that God’s love has already won. It’s already a done deal.

The truth is, what God accomplished in Jesus at the cross has implications far beyond what we know or can even imagine. It was a stupendous accomplishment, a savvy and incredible move, an unbelievably good and wonderful thing, and a stunning universe-shaking victory!

We only get hints of the scope of it all in the Bible, but there is much more going on than meets the eye. One day (you’ll be there to see it with your own eyes), He will make everything well that is not well, and we shall all marvel and rejoice in Him forever. Every knee shall bow in joyful submission to Him, according to Isaiah 45:23, Romans 14:11, and Philippians 2:10.

Perspective is everything…